Fantastic techno-geek adventure wherein Marcus (a consumate hacker and rule breaker) is the target of intense scrutiny by the Department of Homeland Security. Rather than lie low and let the DHS run his life, Marcus and friends fight back by waging a cyberwar on an alternate internet. Fast paced, very hip, great teen appeal. YAY! (Although I do wonder what other librarians will make of Doctorow's instructions for bypassing library firewalls in the endnotes )
6 comments:
I'm only a MAYBE here. This book made me think a lot, but I also got lost in the technobabble quite a few times.
I'm a yay! I already have a teen clamoring to read it. all I had to say is "teen takes down homeland security with an xbox" I'll have to see what he thinks.
I think the teens will get the technobabble or at least be very interested in it. I didn't understand some of it but I still thought it was very cool! And I love that this was about teens fighting for their intellectual freedoms. Definitely a very timely novel. I'm a yay!
Good and important book. When I teach about the Holocaust, we talk about how, after the burning of the Reichstag in 1933, Hitler began to take away civil rights in the name of security. Sound familiar? This book shows what can happen in America when our fear overcomes our sense. Can a police state like the Nazis be far behind?
Besides this "message", this was an exciting book. I got bogged down however, in the techno speak. And though I skimmed over it, it slowed it down for me. Still I give it a yay
Teens will love this as they will understand the computer stuff. Strong character, good relationships and suspense. So I'm voting YES on this one.
The teen I had who really wanted to read it only got half way through. he got bogged down in the tech speak...go figure.
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